


red maple

by orphan_account



Series: FE Rarepair Week (Fall 2019) [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Baking, Canon Compliant, F/F, Fluff, Missing Scenes, Pre-Relationship, Seasons changing, childhood flashbacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 03:03:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20828330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Faye notices Celica acting strange as fall begins, and asking why prompts reminiscing of the season for them both.(ForFE rarepair weekDay 1 - leaves, spice, pumpkin)





	red maple

Their little traveling group was spread along the path, each going at their own pace and having idle conversations among themselves. Celica was walking by herself, far to the front of anyone else. Mae and Boey were stealing glances at her and whispering furiously between themselves. Faye frowned. She didn’t like this one bit.

She quickened her pace, tugging her pegasus along in her wake. Celica barely noticed. She was gazing off listlessly into the distance. Faye turned her head subtly back and forth to try and see what Celica saw.

It was turning into fall. The life of the grass was being leached away, leaving it crinkly and faded. The leaves above were in various forms of gradients, changing from vibrant green to reds and oranges and yellows. The occasional breeze stirred those that were already dead, causing a few to break off from their branches and swirl about in the air in lazy loops. It was run of the mill autumn in Zofia.

“What are you looking at?” Faye gently bumped her shoulder with her own. Celica startled, whirling to look at her as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Ah, my apologies. I was a bit taken with the scenery.”

“The same thing happens every year. It’s not anything new.” Faye was puzzled. Celica’s face fell, and Faye bit her tongue, two sentences too late.

“Before Ram’s Village, I didn’t have the chance to go outside much. And on Novis Island, there weren’t many trees like this. I suppose all the salt was bad for them.”

“Huh... so the last time you experienced fall was with us, way back in the day?”

Celica nodded as she turned her face up at the sky, drinking in the cool air.

“Indeed. What fortuitous timing that our journey would allow me to see it again. Wherever she is, at least Mila is still turning the wheel of seasons.”

Autumns had been stressful once Faye was old enough to be enlisted in the chores, scrambling to gather what harvest they could in the recent famines before winter hit. But there were plenty of good memories too, of feasts and baking and roaming the mysterious new land of the barren forest. Had Celica’s last fall truly been with them? Had it even been fun? She found herself searching her memory. Beside her, Celica was smiling wistfully…

“Celica! Look!” Alm had pulled a chair to the window and was carefully balanced on it, pointing outside with a grin. Celica approached cautiously, wrapping on hand around the windowsill as she climbed onto the chair to join Alm.

“Is it that time?”

Alm nodded enthusiastically. The leaves outside were all different colors now, scattered across the village. There were townsfolk outside busy raking them into large piles beside the common foot-paths or in their yards to clear them of the debris. 

“Seems like now’s the time for you two to go on outside, then.” A gravelly voice said from behind them. They both scrambled off the chair, caught doing something they shouldn’t have been. Mycen merely looked amused, one furry white eyebrow raised at their antics.

“I’ll put the chair back!” Alm squeaked. Celica tried to look as innocent as possible. He had been so kind to her, and yet here she was... Mycen chuckled.

“I think I can handle it. Word around town is that Faye’s mom has been baking all day. You better hurry, or there’ll be nothing left.”

Alm grabbed Celica’s hand and tugged her into a run, rushing right past Mycen.

“And be back before dark!” He called out after them.

Faye’s house wasn’t that far away, but they were both sweaty and struggling to breathe once they reached it. Celica knew only that getting these treats was of the utmost importance. Tumbling around the corner came the familiar sound of bickering. Reaching the door at the same time they were, was Gray and Tobin, pulling at each other’s hair. Kliff was trotting a couple yards behind them, looking very scared.

Alm gave them all hearty wave. Gray and Tobin broke apart long enough to return it before they went back to shoving each other to see who was ahead of the other in line. Kliff obediently stayed at the back.

Alm knocked, and not moments after, the door swung open. It was Faye’s mom, wearing a large apron covered in flour and a large collection smears and stains from the gods only knew what. 

She smiled down at them, hands on her hips. “My, my, what could y’all little rascals be after?”

“Miss, could we get some cookies?” Alm piped up.

“Please,” Celica added.

“And some of your muffins?” Tobin said eagerly.

“Or pie!” Gray was preparing to pull out his best puppy-dog eyes.

“FAYE! Your friends are here. Bring that basket I set aside!”

Appearing behind her mother, Faye squeezed her way out of the door, carrying a picnic basket that was far too large for her. She carried it with determination, moving past Alm and Celica and the grabbing hands of Gray and Tobin.

“Mom has to finish cooking, so we’re going to eat outside. Come on! Or you don’t get any.” She stalked onwards, leaving them no choice but to trail after her like a pack of hungry dogs. 

They were only allowed to stop once she picked out a good clearing and spread out a picnic blanket. From there, she carefully doled out snacks. Her mom had packed some of everyone’s favorite, and then a little more so Celica could sample everything.

When the crumbs had stopped flying, it was time to find a new activity to occupy them. And all around them were piles and piles of those crunchy, alluring leaves.

“I dare you to jump in first, coward.” Gray said, nudging Alm. 

“Like I wouldn’t! You’re the coward, making me go first.”

“I think Kliff should go in first,” Tobin chimed in, leering at the younger boy.

“I-I would rather not,” Kliff averted his gaze.

Faye rolled her eyes, sharing a glance with Celica. And so it was decided that an unsuspecting Tobin should go in first. And then everyone else had to follow, voluntary or not, as it devolved into one chaotic wrestling match.

* * *

At the end of the day, Faye had had to get her mom to pick bits of leaves out of her hair. She had brought the basket home empty, meaning everyone had eaten everything. Meaning Celica  _ had _ eaten and enjoyed  _ something _ from those goodies, she just needed to remember exactly what. Mind made up, Faye fell back, leaving Celica to her reminiscing. 

The next village they came across found Faye with her face scrunched up, toiling over a counter in dough. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, though some strands had fallen free and were dangling perilously close to the food. She had found a woman willing to let her have a few hours with her kitchen and ingredients in exchange for some labor.

She had even managed to buy a cookie-cutter from the local blacksmith. They weren’t going to be the best cookies ever, but they would do the job. In the end, she had two dozen little pumpkin-shaped cookies, flavored with ginger and cloves and oranges, to give them that distinct color.  _ Perfect _ . She wrapped them carefully in a clean cloth she had found, and made her way back to where the others were settled.

The sun was setting, making the sky match the scenery. A chill had also set over everything. Faye was glad to see someone had started a fire already. Her breath was visible now, light mist dissipating into nothing. Celica was, once again, sitting alone, sitting with her back to a tree, and Faye approached her quietly, bundle in hand.

“Hey,” she said softly, peering down at Celica.

“Hey.” Celica replied, no force behind it.

“I was thinking about what you said earlier.” Faye continued, undeterred. “So I brought you something.”

She pushed the cloth down into Celica’s hands. Puzzled, it took her a moment to react, cautiously unwrapping it after a pause. And then her face positively lit up, eyes going wide, her smile blinding.

“The cookies! That your mother made! I have such fond memories of these!”

“I know,” Faye said, hiding a laugh. “I watched you tear through at least five of them that day. I just hope I got the recipe right.”

Celica lifted one up carefully and bit in. Her face was blissful, so much more cheerful than she’d been the last few days. “Try one, I insist.”

Faye tried to wave her off. “I had plenty of samples while making them. These ones are for you.”

“What I want is to share them with you. And perhaps the others, after we’ve had our fill. From what I gather, isn’t that what this season is all about?”

Faye couldn’t deny that, and so she accepted a cookie, their fingers brushing as she passed it off. They were warm, despite the weather. And watching Celica stand up after that, walking towards camp to start passing out the cookies, made Faye feel even warmer.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr [@fefemslash](https://fefemslash.tumblr.com)! Requests for ficlets, mood/shipboards, imagines, etc., are always open!


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